I read the passionate letter describing the writer’s hometown in Montana (“The long-term cost,” Jan 10). I recognized the description to be of Libby, the beautiful town in the mountains where my family lived for two years in the ’60s. We have been horrified to hear about the asbestos mining issue that came to light years after we moved away. Watching several documentaries on PBS, we recognized former students and neighbors, now suffering the effects of asbestosis and lung cancer.

Surprise! W.R.Grace declared bankruptcy, absolving the company’s liability and leaving the clean-up to the EPA. To date, the EPA has spent more than $447 million to clean up W.R. Grace’s mess in Libby — $447 million, your tax dollars at work.

Could it happen in Minnesota?

Carol Emmans, Osseo

Earning his own

On a recent family vacation to the beaches in southern Florida, I decided to give my college-age children a lesson about government entitlements.

As we sat on the beach, I waited for one seagull to come close to us. I then threw him a small piece of potato chip. The gull quickly gobbled it up. The gull then stood there staring at me wanting more. The other gulls all continued searching the ocean for small fish, flying back and forth working for a meal. The gull I fed never moved more than 3 feet from my side. If someone walked by, he would move out of the way and then come right back to my side. I continued to give him little bits, and he stayed by me all day long while all of the other gulls continued to search for their meal. It was only when we left the beach that this gull again joined the rest of the gulls searching the ocean for food.

As we walked off the beach, I told my children that to the gull I was the federal government, and as long as I was there to provide his easy food he would never leave to earn his own food.

Jeff Turcotte, Afton

More failures

From Obamacare, the debt, the NSA and IRS scandals, the Obama administration has had numerous failures. But there are more that people may not be thinking about.

Obama and the Democrats have yet again asked for an extension to unemployment payments. Although some do need it, others continue to remain dependent on the government payments. With more than five years under his belt, Obama refuses to alleviate some of the government intervention on business to get people back to work.

Al-Qaida is now raising its flag in certain cities of Iraq. As Republicans warned, a publicized time- table would result in the enemy “waiting it out” before their return. Families of the fallen soldiers should be outraged with the weak strategy of this commander in chief.

Finally, former Defense Secretary Robert Gates writes a scathing memoir about his former boss (“Gates’ memoir details Obama’s shift on Afghanistan,” Jan. 8). Among other things, Gates discusses Obama and Hillary Clinton politicizing the Iraq surge for the 2008 Democratic nomination. Also Gates says Obama wanted troops out of Iraq regardless of the consequences.

Obama has been a complete disaster that people voted into office for likability and “rock star” status. I hope people tune out the reality shows for 15 minutes a day and understand what’s going on in the world, and the people you vote for before each election. Do it for the sake of your children and for the good of the country.

Thomas McMahon, White Bear Lake

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